DGK prides itself on being a brand for “those who came from nothing,” and the new collaboration with Popeye embodies his classic scrappy spirit. The DGK x Popeye collection, which consists of skateboards, T-shirts, jackets and hats, is now available for purchase online and will be available in most Zumiez stores in August 2015 — just in time for Back to School.

Spinach Can Collectibles co-owners Mike and Debbie Brooks speak to the crowd after being named the Chester (Ill.) Chamber of Commerce’s Citizens of the Year for 2015 during the chamber’s annual dinner on Friday, June 19. Photo Credit: Pete Spitler/Herald Tribune

Mike and Debbie Brooks have been staunch supporters of Popeye the Sailor Man for decades. The couple moved to Chester, Ill., birthplace of Popeye’s creator Elzie Segar, and opened Spinach Can Collectibles, a museum and shop highlighting all things related to the Mighty Mariner.

Mike is a founder of the Official Popeye Fan Club (check out the website at www.popeyepicnic.com/club/main.htm) He and Debbie are deeply involved in the planning and execution of the Annual Popeye Picnic in September.

The Chester Chamber of Commerce surprised the couple by recognizing their commitment to the town and honored them as the Citizens of the Year for 2015 during its annual dinner. The Randolph County Herald Tribune ran a wonderful news article about the event.
(Note: The photo of Mike and Debbie is used here by permission of Pete Spitler, the photographer and the newspaper’s editor.)Click here to check out the story!

]]>http://popeye.com/2015/06/25/mike-debbie-brooks-longtime-popeye-fans-named-citizens-of-the-year-in-chester-ill/feed/1Popeye Champions Award-Winning Ogilvy Brasil “Little Baldies” Campaignhttp://popeye.com/2015/06/24/popeye-champions-award-winning-ogilvy-brasil-little-baldies-campaign/
http://popeye.com/2015/06/24/popeye-champions-award-winning-ogilvy-brasil-little-baldies-campaign/#commentsWed, 24 Jun 2015 15:41:20 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14667Continue reading →]]>Remember when we told you about the 2014 campaign by Ogilvy Brasil for the GRAACC Children’s Cancer Support Program in Brazil? Well, that Campaign has just won three awards at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, which is currently being held at the Palais des Festivals in France!

The campaign, entitled “Carequinhas,” received three awards, two golds and one silver, in the Lions Health healthcare communications category. And guess whose image was selected for the publicity and press coverage? That’s right! Popeye!!!

Learn More About the Campaign

In April 2014 during Cancer Awareness Month, Popeye gave up the little hair that he has on his head – and Olive shaved off all of hers — in honor of Bald Cartoons, a global awareness project launched in Brazil that aims to spread the message that a child with cancer deserves to be seen just like any other child.

Cartoon characters recognized around the world, including Popeye and Olive Oyl, joined forces to empower little ones with cancer to face the world and show that bald is beautiful. Check them out – and the Little Baldies video that launched the campaign.

Learn More About the Lions Awards

The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity (formerly the International Advertising Festival) is a weeklong global event for those working in the creative communications, advertising and related fields. The festival, incorporating the presentation of the Lions awards, takes place every year at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, France. In 2012, Lions Health, a special two-day breakout lead-in festival to the main event, was launched to showcase creative communications in healthcare.

]]>http://popeye.com/2015/06/24/popeye-champions-award-winning-ogilvy-brasil-little-baldies-campaign/feed/0Did You Know? It’s National Hamburger Month!http://popeye.com/2015/05/20/did-you-know-its-national-hamburger-month/
http://popeye.com/2015/05/20/did-you-know-its-national-hamburger-month/#commentsWed, 20 May 2015 16:05:08 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14650Continue reading →]]>That’s right. May is Wimpy’s favorite month of the year. Everyone knows Popeye’s pal is a hamburger moocher par excellence. He doesn’t need to consult the calendar to utter his famous phrase: “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today!”

Well, taking a cue from Wimpy, have you ever thought about taking a cross-country road trip to discover and devour all the different, delicious burgers you could find? O.K., let’s get real. While everyone might love the meaty rewards, who has the time to craft that kind of adventure?

So who says you have to travel? Head to the kitchen with some recipes* Wimpy would surely recommend:

In California, the classic burger gets a combo of a flavorful kick and healthful accompaniments. Fresh diced jalapeno pepper, onion and cilantro inside; top with California staples of avocado, tomato and onion. Oh, and skip the bread – this is wrapped in crisp Bibb lettuce. Yum!

Next, we swing to The Lone Star State for BBQ with Texas-sized heat! Smother sweet and spicy barbecue sauce made with adobo sauce and sprinkle with pickled okra (or classic dill pickles) and serve on Garlic Texas Toast.

Visit the Great Lakes area to find the ultimate cheeseburger. Create a build-your-own burger buffet for your next party and top a grilled patty with one of the many cheeses America’s Dairyland has to offer.

Last stop: New York. This world-class city offers a classic deli favorite by combining Ground Beef with Corned Beef to create a super patty. Top with Kosher dill pickle, yellow mustard and melted Swiss, all on toasted rye. Gotta love it.

]]>http://popeye.com/2015/05/20/did-you-know-its-national-hamburger-month/feed/1Popeye x PF Flyers Opening Day Collectionhttp://popeye.com/2015/04/23/popeye-x-pf-flyers-opening-day-collection/
http://popeye.com/2015/04/23/popeye-x-pf-flyers-opening-day-collection/#commentsThu, 23 Apr 2015 17:15:54 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14640Continue reading →]]>In 1937, the PF Flyers story began by delivering quality American footwear for sport and leisure. In the same year, one of the most iconic cartoon characters in American history, Popeye the Sailor, took to the mound to play baseball against his arch-nemesis, Bluto, in a classic animated short. The iconic duo battle it out in front of a roaring crowd in an excitement-filled game featuring fireworks, grand slams, and an amazing come-from-behind win from Popeye.

In celebration of a new season of America’s greatest pastime, PF Flyers has created a capsule collection partnering with the game’s top players. Mitchell Bat Company, Ebbets Field Flannels and Leather Head Sports have all teamed up to participate in honoring PF’s deep history with baseball and celebrating a 78-year rivalry between the two iconic characters licensed for the collaboration by King Features.

The Opening Day Rambler Hi embodies retro athletic style, featuring a unique baseball stitch detail along the heel. The shoe has a full grain leather upper, gun metal eyelets, and flat waxed cotton laces. Inspired by the ongoing rivalry between Popeye and Bluto, the black Rambler Hi is fully Bluto themed and the cream Rambler Hi is all about Popeye. The style features a translucent outsole with Popeye/Bluto graphic, a Popeye/Bluto graphic lining, and the corresponding character’s team name stamped under the tongue.

The Opening Day Rambler Hi will first be available in two colors, cream and black, and will retail for $90. The style made its debut for purchase on www.pfflyers.com on Opening Day (April 6th). Shoppers can also find the shoes at Ebbets Field Flannels in Seattle, Gym Standard in San Diego and The Brooklyn Circus in San Francisco.

In the early 1900’s, inventor BF Goodrich manufactured several lines of vulcanized athletic shoes from tire rubber. In 1933 he patented the Posture Foundation insole, changing the sneaker landscape and immediately growing in popularity. In the 1950’s and 60s, PF Flyers became one of the most popular shoe brands in America, dominating the athletic sphere and integrating into the military. Now owned by New Balance, PF Flyers continues to grow off of their past success and reclassify old designs with a modern twist. Touted as some of the best shoes for a secure ankle, PF Flyers incorporates contemporary design elements, colors and comfort technologies into a traditional style to revitalize an American classic.

New Balance is proud to be the only major company to make or assemble more than 4 million pairs of athletic footwear per year in the USA, which represents a limited portion of our US sales. Where the domestic value is at least 70%, we label our shoes Made in the USA.

]]>http://popeye.com/2015/03/12/chuck-quality-goods-x-popeye-collaboration/feed/0New Release: Popeye Classics Vol. 5: “A Thousand Bucks Worth of Fun”http://popeye.com/2015/02/03/new-release-popeye-classics-vol-5-a-thousand-bucks-worth-of-fun/
http://popeye.com/2015/02/03/new-release-popeye-classics-vol-5-a-thousand-bucks-worth-of-fun/#commentsTue, 03 Feb 2015 21:51:04 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14618Continue reading →]]>Popeye Classics Vol. 5: “A Thousand Bucks Worth of Fun!” is now available for purchase on yoebooks.com and Amazon.com! This book re-presents the classic Popeye comic book series that debuted in 1948 by Bud Sagendorf, the long-time assistant to creator E.C. Segar! Carefully reproduced from the original comic books and lovingly restored, Popeye Classics Vol. 5 contains issues #20 to 24. Also included are more of Sagendorf’s gloriously funny one-pagers, rare photos and extra artwork.
]]>http://popeye.com/2015/02/03/new-release-popeye-classics-vol-5-a-thousand-bucks-worth-of-fun/feed/1Popeye Meets “Outlaw Pete”http://popeye.com/2015/01/22/popeye-compared-to-bruce-springsteens-outlaw-pete/
http://popeye.com/2015/01/22/popeye-compared-to-bruce-springsteens-outlaw-pete/#commentsThu, 22 Jan 2015 16:15:34 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14502Continue reading →]]>Frank Caruso, Vice President of Creative Services at King Features, has co-authored and illustrated a book with Bruce Springsteen. Published by Simon & Schuster, “Outlaw Pete” is a picture book that was inspired, word-for-word, from a ballad of the same name on Springsteen’s 2009 album, “Working on a Dream.”

“Outlaw Pete” is a modern legend of a career criminal who begins his life of crime by robbing a bank in his diapers. From then on, his sins only multiply and he becomes an outlaw, killer and a thief … one who “only slows down to sow his grief.”

Comics Kingdom interviewed Frank about his collaboration with Bruce Springsteen and asked who would win in a fight: Popeye or Outlaw Pete.

Here’s his diplomatic response:

“OK, that’s crazy. First of all, Popeye never likes to fight unless his back is up against the wall. And being he’s a sailor and primarily based at sea…and Pete is riding around out West in land locked states, I doubt
their paths would ever cross. I don’t know…we’ve seen what happens when Pete pulls a knife from his boot, but we’ve also seen what happens when Popeye pulls a can of spinach from his shirt…(look out!)….”

At King Features, Caruso is a masterful cartoonist who has upheld the mantle of Popeye, Betty Boop and other classic comic properties for more than two decades. He has contributed as a writer/cartoonist to various humor magazines and created the graphic novel “Heart Transplant” with Andrew Vachss covering the topic of bullying. Caruso won two Emmys for his work on the children’s safety show “SeeMore’s Playhouse.” He is a member of New York’s Society of Illustrators.

]]>http://popeye.com/2015/01/22/popeye-compared-to-bruce-springsteens-outlaw-pete/feed/0Today In Popeye’s History …http://popeye.com/2014/11/21/november-21-this-day-in-popeyes-history/
http://popeye.com/2014/11/21/november-21-this-day-in-popeyes-history/#commentsFri, 21 Nov 2014 21:48:02 +0000http://popeye.com/?p=14542Continue reading →]]>Ten years ago, in an event coordinated with the National Council for Adoption, Popeye officially adopted Swee’ Pea.” This is the most special day of me life,” the proud papa declared.

After more than 70 years of serving as a dedicated parent, POPEYE THE SAILOR MAN officially finalized the adoption of his beloved SWEE’PEA in a special ceremony hosted by the National Council For Adoption in New York City on November 21, 2004. Celebrating POPEYE’s role as a model father for baby SWEE’PEA and as an inspiration for adoptive parents everywhere, official recognition of POPEYE as SWEE’PEA’s legal parent was the centerpiece of its annual ‘Kids at Heart’ event commemorating National Adoption Month.

SWEE’PEA has accompanied POPEYE on most of his adventures, but many fans have long been uncertain of just how the two came together. Although he lives with POPEYE, SWEE’PEA is not the child of POPEYE and his longtime girlfriend, OLIVE OYL.

Baby SWEE’PEA arrived on POPEYE’s doorstep July 28, 1933 when SWEE’PEA’s mother left him there, knowing the trustworthy sailor would protect him. POPEYE’s home immediately became a safe haven for SWEE’PEA and the two bonded. POPEYE refers to SWEE’PEA as his “adoptid infik” but had never been granted official custody – until now!

On the day of the adoption ceremony, POPEYE said, “I yam so happy that me li’l SWEE’PEA and I will offickially be Pappy and son. I have raised him as me own since that fateful day when I founds him at me door and now I yam proud to legally adopt him.”